Supplies Books

What To Expect From This Book:

This book aims to serve both experienced and inexperienced gardeners. Gardening is the #1 hobby in America today. An increasing number of homeowners are no longer satisfied with planting a flat of purple petunias and retiring to the deck with a cold beer. For some, gardening has become a competitive sport. If you are a gardener who would pursue to the ends of the earth a rare Texas native snowbell (Styrax youngae), which can only be found in the wild in a few remote sites in Mexico, I've got your source.

I'm fairly certain that the majority of people who will read this book truly enjoy their gardens, but have limited time to spend. Even homeowners who only mow the lawn to keep the neighbors from complaining should find resources within these pages. I've laced the text with timesaving ideas and, hopefully, introduce you to products to make every aspect of gardening easier and more rewarding.

Good overall design is another matter. You can consign plant mistakes to a compost pile, but a drainage problem, a misplaced patio or an ugly retaining wall won't simply go away. As a landscape architect, I promise my clients that I'll save them money in the long run by preventing costly mistakes. It only seems fair that I should share the same information with readers.

We hope you'll take the time to read the text that precedes the source lists throughout the book. In Chapter One, we've included a brief history of gardening to help you choose your "garden style". Then we discuss the physiography of Texas and divide the state into twelve distinct gardening regions. We think it is folly to attempt to garden without a complete understanding of the soils, climate and native vegetation of your region. Further, we believe that gardeners hold a large responsibility for maintaining the unique diversity of each region.

In organizing a book as comprehensive as this, the first question we asked was, "Where do we begin?" After much deliberation, we decided to begin with North and East Texas, which includes three very different garden regions: Cross Timbers & Grand Prairie (including Ft Worth); Trinity Blacklands (including Dallas); and the Piney Woods (including Tyler and Nacogdoches). Next, we work our way clockwise, along the Gulf Coast, which incorporates: Coastal Prairies & Marshes (including Houston); Coastal Bend (including Corpus Christi and Padre Island); and the Valley (from Brownsville to McAllen). Then we go back up through Central Texas: Rio Grande Plain (including San Antonio and Laredo); Central Prairies & Savannas (including Waco and Bryan/College Station); and the Hill Country (including Austin). Finally we cover West Texas: Red Rolling Plains (Wichita Falls, Abilene and San Angelo); High Plains (Amarillo, Lubbock and Midland); and the Trans-Pecos (including El Paso).

In Chapter Two, we've provided the names and addresses of places to look for design inspiration. We've also provided reading lists, as well as some other important sources of information to expand your gardening knowledge. In Chapter Three, we stress Master-Planning. Then we discuss the walls, walkways, fences and "follies", garden structures, and lighting that are as important to landscape design as plants. And, we list resources for the materials that go into the "landscape."

Before getting into plants, Chapter Four takes up sound gardening practices. We're dwelling heavily on the topic of conservation. We've shared practical ways of improving the soil, feeding plants and coping with pests in the most environmentally sensitive manner. The good news is that these techniques can result in reduced garden maintenance. The sources for plants begin in Chapter Five. Before we get into one-stop shopping at the state's great garden centers, we provide basic information about choosing the plants for your garden. For beginners and "old hands" alike, garden centers offer the widest range of products and services.

Specialty nurseries appear in Chapters Six and Eight. Chapter Six is devoted to "naturescaping", the most important new trend in gardening today. The chapter includes discussions on Texas natives, backyard wildlife habitats, wildflower meadows and drought-resistant plants. Water conservation has been a "hot" issue in environmental circles for years.

Chapter Seven addresses the more sophisticated levels of planting design and lists specialized sources for flowering shrubs, perennials, bulbs, herbs and other edible plants. Chapter Eight is all about special plants for special places. These are the water gardens, the hanging baskets, tropical plants and "living sculptures" that are used to embellish our gardens, patios and interiors. Few gardeners are aware of the small nurseries in Texas that grow specialized, sometimes rare, plant materials. Many began as backyard hobbies and remain labors of love.

Chapter Nine deals with garden furniture and Chapter Ten addresses the decorative accessories that make a garden both livable and memorable. Basically, the book is arranged in the order in which the work of a landscape architect progresses: planning; constructing and conserving; planning; and embellishing the garden.

In the appendices, you'll find a list of landscape architect firms that are known for their residential designs. Mail-order Shopping Tips contains 25 helpful hints for anyone who has ever perused a plant catalog. We've also included a Glossary that defines words you will encounter in this book and in catalogs. The Geographical Index may help you discover some nearby sources you didn't know existed. It should be especially useful on your travels through Texas.

In perusing the library for books on Texas gardening, I came across this title. I almost didn't include it in my stash. Upon flipping through the pages, there weren't any "purdy" pictures. Boy am I glad I brought it home! I started putting a sticky note on the pages I wanted to photocopy and ended up putting one on every other page--that's a lot of sticky notes! So I had to buy it! This book is not only an up to date resource list for Texas by region or city, but has an information header in each category. This is invaluable. Sounds like a "resource" book would be pretty dry--but it's not. It's fun and well written and will go with me in my car always here in San Antonio and thru out Texas. My only regret is that it is a special order with 4-6 week delivery. Don't know why since it was published in 1999.

Finally, and up-to-date, clear and concise reference for the key Texas water region. A must have for all hydrogeologists, water resource engineers and environmental scientists practicing in Texas.

Groundwater represents an important supply source for municipal and irrigation uses in Far West Texas. The City of El Paso receives about 50 percent of its municipal water supply from surface water and 50 percent from local groundwater. Groundwater pumping in El Paso is from the Hueco Bolson and the Mesilla Bolson. Historic groundwater pumping in the Texas portion of the Mesilla Bolson has not resulted in significant changes in groundwater levels or groundwater quality in existing wells.

Historic pumping in the Hueco Bolson has resulted in lowered groundwater levels and brackish groundwater intrusion. The groundwater level declines have resulted in the intrusion of brackish groundwater into areas that historically pumped fresh groundwater. A 1979 assessment concluded that El Paso would deplete fresh groundwater in the Hueco Bolson by 2030 if groundwater pumping continued to increase. Partly as a result of the 1979 assessment, El Paso reduced its groundwater pumping from the Hueco Bolson by increasing surface water diversions from the Rio Grande, increasing conservation efforts, and increasing reclaimed water use. As a result, groundwater levels in many parts of the Hueco Bolson have stabilized.

Brackish groundwater intrusion remains an issue, and is being addressed with a brackish groundwater desalination plant, currently under construction. The new wells and existing wells that will supply this desalination plant will also assist in the management of brackish groundwater intrusion by intercepting the brackish groundwater before it can flow towards existing fresh groundwater wells.

The 2006 Far West Texas Regional Water Plan contemplates a groundwater transfer project to meet increasing demands in El Paso County beginning about 2030, mostly from the Dell City area in Hudspeth County, Texas. Groundwater management in the Dell City area is governed by a groundwater conservation district that has established limits on groundwater pumping based on existing and historic uses. Groundwater pumping for irrigation began in the Dell City area in 1948, and groundwater levels have been essentially stable for since the 1980s. Future planning for a groundwater transfer project will require a detailed understanding of the hydrogeology of the groundwater in the Dell City area.

I picked up A Guide Book of Lincoln Cents by Q. David Bowers last weekend and thought I would post a review of what I thought of it.

It starts off with a nice forward by Charles D. Daughtrey and moves into some very interesting sections. There is of course the history of the Lincoln Cent both wheat and memorial reverse. Then it moves into the minting process. After that it goes into the proofs and how they were made from 1909 to date.

The proof section I found very informative and interesting, after that it goes into grading Lincoln Cents, Mr. Bowers is very honest when it comes to third party grading services and provides some background on when they started.

It then moves into how to be a smart buyer, ways to collect, then finally analysis and market guide to Lincoln Cents. For each year he describes how the dies were that year, what was going on in the world of numismatics, some nice notes, striking and sharpness population reports for MS wheat coins and PF for memorials. There is also a price guide that is pretty close.

What I found interesting was how he took quotes, articles, and other things of interest from some other very popular Lincoln experts. He tried to offer both sides of the fence views and some issues. Take the 22 no "D", there is an quote from Chuck that explains how it is nothing more than a worn out die.

The book has nice color pictures for each year (I think they need to be a little larger)

Things I would change about the book would be- Larger pictures for the grading section, population reports for key dates that go before MS-65 and population reports for MS memorial cents and PF wheat cents.

All in all I would give this book a 9 on a scale of 1-10 and would recommend it to any Lincoln collector.

Coin collectors who are gathering Lincoln cents have lots to work with and understand: it's the country's longest-running coin series. This official guide covers its history, rarity, values, grading and many varieties as the coin nears its 100th anniversary and most importantly, discusses some of the greatest challenges to coin collecting. Tips on buying, selling, and grading a Lincoln cents collection makes for a fine market analysis for all dates and mintmarks, and even includes an appendix on error coins. Any library strong in coin collecting at any level must have this reference.

This handbook is the best I've every read. There are some good books for pro-audio, but this one cover everything. Not only audio, but image projection as well.

This book has everything that an audio engineer would need to know, and nothing you don't. It gives you all the technical information that you could ever need while not being so pretentious as to tell you how you should use it. It is a terrific reference and will give you insight as to how some engineers chose to use thier tools.

Here in a single volume is a wealth of information and counsel provided by many of the world's foremost authorities on global supply chain management. The material has been selected and edited with meticulous care by John T. Mentzer, Matthew B, Myers, and Theodore P. Stank who also collaborated on Chapter 1 ("Why Global Supply Chain Management?") and contributed to others. They provide this definition of Supply Chain Management (SCM) which was devised by the Supply Chain Research Group at the University of Tennessee in 2004: "the systematic, strategic coordination of the traditional business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purposes of improving the long-term performance of the individual companies and the supply chain as a whole." After the introductory chapter, the material is organized as follows:

Part I: Understanding Global Supply Chains
Overview: The contributors focus on strategy, assessment of the global environment, value and customer service management, demand management, knowledge management, and process orientation.

Part II: Managing the Functions
Overview: The contributors focus on management of marketing and sales, product, operations, integrated logistics, inventory, transportation, warehouse, and personnel.

Part III: Resource Management
Overview: The contributors focus on the lean supply chain ("The path to Excellence"), financial and risk management, and interpretation systems (i.e. knowledge, strategy, and performance).

Part IV: Managing the Relations
Overview: The contributors focus on relationship management, logistics outsourcing, international sourcing (i.e. "redressing the balance"), negotiating throughout the supply chain, interfunctional coordination, intercorporate coordination, and global supply chain control.

Part V: Making It Happen
Overview: The contributors focus on supply chain innovation, global supply chain security, diagnosing the supply chain, and change management.

Mentzer, Myers, and Stank conclude from the previously provided definition of SCM that it is "a management process that deals with inbound and outbound flows, from the perspective of the focal organization, its suppliers, and its customers. This means a fundamental aspect of GSCM [i.e. Global Supply Chain Management] is the consideration of not just the cost and the profit goals of one company (the focal

In this volume, Mentzer, Myers, Stank, and their associates make a substantial contribution to the evolution of thought processes that lead to a wider and deeper understanding of "the complexities of a global, cross functional, cross-enterprise view of business and fosters an appreciation of key dimensions that contribute to success within this new environment." For senior-level executives in companies that are now involved in a GSCM or are now considering such an involvement, this book is a "must read." That is not to say that it is an easy read. However, for those who absorb and digest the material with appropriate care, it will be - and remain - an indispensable source of information and counsel.

The Handbook of Global Supply Chain Management is no light reference, but a solid pick for college-level libraries strong in holdings pertaining to global supply chains. It identifies emerging developments and compares and contrasts them with past GSCM methods, analyzes chains, functions, resources and techniques for making it happen, and uses contributors from professions around the world, both in academic and private business circles. It's this attention to well-rounded detail and depth from different approaches which makes The Handbook of Global Supply Chain Management a critical acquisition for any serious college-level collection offering grad students and researchers detailed perspectives on the subject.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A very conscientious textbook. The book covers a great deal of information including the occurrence of groundwater, groundwater flow, modeling, testing, geostatistics, solute transport, GIS, and remediation. The subject matter is complemented by tables, data, and graphs. which help explain key concepts and the mathematical equations used. I like to use this in conjunction with Handbook of Hydrology. A very good book for the practising professional.

This book is aimed at the practicing groundwater professional or advanced student. It is an excellent reference and review of almost any groundwater topic. Each chapter is written by an expert in the field. Each contains a well-presented discussion of key concepts and equations. The end of the chapter lists a handful of recommended references for further information followed by a comprehensive bibliography. This is your guide to the whole ground water field. If it isn't in here, you can at least find out where to find it.

I have a small library on printing and printing technologies. This book is the best single book I own. It's the best single source on printing I've seen, as well. The subject is laid out logically; the theory is provided to allow understanding; the graphics are clear and informative, and frequently provided; the writing style is clear, although a bit "Germanic" in thought-processes, resulting from the translation I assume.
I recommend this book to any printing professional seeking to learn about their field, or to any student of the industry. Just don't drop it on your toes.

Just ordered my english version of this, already having the german language version. The book is top-notch, very clearly explaining and illustrating, both with drawings and photos, the various components and materials used for all types of printing. Its breadth and depth make it a vital reference for anyone involved in the graphic arts industries.

I am teaching this book at our Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Bahrain. Students consider it as an excellent HVAC textbook, easy to understand and covers all their required topics in HVAC for B.Sc. students

This is the best book on this subject I have found. It is aimed at practicing engineers and engineering students however. It is very mathmatical and may not be of much use to technicians.

A while ago I found myself having to purchase my 7th computer in 14 years. An initial casual interest had turned into a daily necessity for personal business, business-business, communication and fun.

The 6th computer had crashed - fine one moment, gone the next (luckily a conversation with a friend had prompted me to buy a zip drive and do a full backup only two weeks before.)

I realized I needed to know much more about the options before I purchased, that my peripheral hardware and software needs were steadily increasing, and there were so many terms I just didn't really understand.

I found the Home Office Handbook - thank goodness. Rapidly the mysteries became comprehendible. The guides helped me immensely to intelligently determine what I did and did not need - even to predict which future additions would be compatible. Quick tips and a dose of humor kept it from being a chore.

I know I saved both time and money (and much frustration.) Thank you, Barbara Butler.

Home Office Handbook is great! It tells you what to do with technology in the home office and not just how to decorate the office. And I needed help. I manage a group of apartment buildings at a univerity town and have an office in one of the buildings and another in my home. This book was a major help in figuring out wht I needed in each office and how to connect the offices. It also helped the technician that was working with me.

This is a great book for anyone who does any work on automobiles. It gives an explanation of the components that hold the vehicle together as well as the conduits that carry the fluids that allow the mechanical systems to function. These systems are often forgotten because they are not glamorous like stereo systems or fancy paint jobs but are imperative for the proper functioning of the engine running and the ability to stop the car safely. If you crash into a brick wall, it does not matter how many watts your sound system puts out. A must read.

Mike has put together an excellent, up to date discussion of the these critical areas of the modern race car. He discusses the latest equipment, techniques and products available to the modern car builder and presents many time and money saving tips. Newbie or Pro, you need to put down your wrenches and read this book!